From the Cubicle: Cubs-Rockies

The Cubs beat the Colorado Rockies 7-6 last night in exciting fashion, coming back twice, weathering a blown save from Kerry Wood and nailing down that always elusive 10,000 victory in franchise history.

Aramis Ramirez hit a two-run homer in the ninth to take a 6-5 lead, a homer that cost Rockies closer Manny Corpas his job. Kerry Wood got two outs in the bottom of the inning before the Rockies struck to level the match. But have no fear, Ryan Theriot drove home pinch runner Mike Fontenot in the 10th and Carlos Marmol kept the lid on the thing for the save. It's the kind of thrilling Rocky Mountain high that takes the edge of those 70,000 losses.

Today Jason Marquis goes against Aaron Cook from the perpetually sunny Denver a place that boasts 300 days of sunshine a year and a place that currently is under the threat of thunderstorms. Let's hope the rain stays away.

Mike Fontenot leads off against righty sinker-baller Aaron Cook as the Cubs go for seven straight. Fontenot singles to center to break up Cook's perfect game. Theriot gounds up the middle. The previously slumping Tulowitzki makes a diving stop, flips to Clint Barmes, who bare-hands it and throws to first all in one motion to turn quite the nifty double play. Derrek Lee grounds back to the pitcher to end the top half of the first.

Yes, "My Friend is at the Game" (lucky friend) on the message board, it looks like the sun is threatening to make an appearance at Coors Field. White Sox hero Scott Podsednik, Scotty Pods, leads off for the Rockies and gets ahead 3-0. Podsednik singles to left on a 3-1 pitch. Glenallen Hill in the first base coaching box for the Rockies, or, as Harry Caray used to call him "Glenallen Allen." Barmes pops out to Lee in foul ground. Todd Helton takes a strike and Podsednik steals second. Len Kasper says Podsednik is a perfect 4-for-4 on the year in stolen-base attempts, to which Amanda Kaschube, sitting a few desks away, replies, "He is perfect. Good call." Helton bloops a single to right, driving home Podsednik with the game's first run. Matt Holliday takes a called third strike on the inside corner. He disagrees with the call from home-plate umpire Ed Hickcox but doesn't hang around to argue. Garrett Atkins rips a double to the left-field gap. Felix Pie cuts it off to keep Helton from scoring. Lou Piniella's a-stirring in the Cubs dugout and is now consulting a big loose-leaf notebook. Brad Hawpe flies out to center and the Cubs and Marquis escape any further damage.

Rockies 1, Cubs 0

Second inning

Ramirez fouls a ball off his front shin and goes down. He's OK but then strikes out swinging and still looks to be in some pain as he walks back to the dugout. Kosuke Fukudome draws a walk. DeRosa walks, too. After two straight walks, Geovany Soto swings at the first two pitches and pops out to first. Pie jumps on the first pitch hits it sharply off the second-baseman's glove and into shallow center; Fukudome hustles home from second to tie the game. Marquis rolls out to first to end the top half, but the Cubs get their equalizer.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Tulowitzki pops out to Theriot behind second base. Catcher Chris Iannetta flies out to right. The pitcher Cook grounds a single up the middle. Podsednik bloops one to shallow left. Mark DeRosa makes a long run, lays out and nearly makes a great catch but the ground knocks the ball out of his glove and Podsednik ends up on second. Cook to third. Those guys will have to wait another day as Barmes flies out to right to end the second.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Third inning

Fontenot fouls off two pitches and then takes a called third. Brenly thinks the pitch was high. Theriot grounds out to short. Lee bounces out to Helton and the Cubs go down quietly and quickly.

Oh, please -- the Cubs will be flying a flag at Wrigley for the next week to commemorate that 10,000 victory. Helton flies out to Pie. Holliday lines one to left but right at DeRosa. Two balls and two strikes to Atkins and he ... fouls it back. Atkins eventually pops out to Soto near the first-base dugout.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Fourth inning

Ramirez grounds out to short on the first pitch. Fukudome drives it deep to left but not deep enough. Holliday gloves it. DeRosa strikes out swinging and this game is just flying by.

Marquis strikes out Hawpe swinging. Tulowitzki draws the first walk given up by Marquis. Iannetta bounces into a 4-6-3 double play, with much emphasis on the 3 as Derrek Lee digs the ball out of the dirt to complete the deal.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Fifth inning

Soto lines right at Holliday in left for the first out. Pie, the last guy in this game to get a hit, bunts for a hit but foul. Pie pops up near third and the shortstop Tulowitzki takes it away from the third baseman Atkins. Marquis bounces out to second and Cook's retired 10 straight.

Cook grounds out to short. One pitch, one out. Two young Cubs fans are asleep in the stands. I don't blame them. Not much action in this one. Podsednik reaches again on a single to right. Podsednik takes off for second and Barmes grounds out to short. The only play at first. Despite Podsednik's peskiness, Marquis gets out of it, striking out Helton swinging.

Is Marty Brennaman is on to something? A Cubs fan/reader from Denver reports some poor behavior from Cubs fans at last night's game:

"I was at the Cubs vs. Rockies game last night at Coors Field, and I was very disappointed at the behavior of the majority of Cub fans that I could see in my section. From the guy who was cursing loud enough for everyone within 15 seats to hear and turning around after the Cubs made a play to flip everyone off, or the other guy who refused to sit down from the fifth to seventh inning just to annoy everyone sitting behind him, or the guy who was taking a towel and snapping it at a group of girls who were not amused; it was a poor representation of Cubs fans last night. At least, I hope it was a poor representation.

Just had to get that off my chest."

From my experience this is a problem at all sporting events, not just those attended by Cubs fans. People in general are just obnoxious, especially when alcohol is involved.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Sixth inning

Fontenot breaks his bat lining out to second. Theriot strikes out swinging. Lee bounces out to third, Atkins to Helton. And Clint Hurdle could use some sunscreen.

More shots of children sleeping in the stands. What is this, a daycare center? Holliday draws a leadoff walk. Atkins hits it to th gap in right field where Fukudome runs it down. Hawpe takes a called third on an inside pitch and is just standing there in the box. Beat it, buddy. Tulowitzki flies to right and onward we go in this thrill a minute.

Cubs 1, Rockies 1

Seventh inning

They dusted off some Natalie Merchant song for the Fan Cam. Oh, wait, I get it: 10,000 Maniacs for 10,000 wins. Groan. I hope to never hear another word about the 10,000 win. Ramirez flies out to Amanda's boy, Scotty Pods, in center. Fukudome flies out to right. DeRosa chases a sinker away for strike three. Grab your gloves and hats and get back out there.

Iannetta leads off the seventh with a solo home run to left. A towering shot that just cleared the wall. DeRosa thought he had a shot at it. Cook reaches with his second hit of the day, a scratch, check-swing single down the right-field line. Kevin Hart warms in the Cubs' pen. If Marquis doesn't get a call he takes about a 10-minute walk. Get on the mound. Podsednik bounces it back through the box off Marquis and right towards Ramirez, who makes a bare-handed pickup and throws out the runner. Cook takes second on the play. Barmes bounces out to Ramirez. Cook holds at second. Helton grounds to Fontenot on the outfield grass to end the eighth.

Rockies 2, Cubs 1

Eighth inning

I'm thinking Ronny Cedeno can sort this one out. Plus, the Rockies are 6-5 leading after the seventh, as we saw last night. Soto lines the first pitch into left for a leadoff single. Here's Cedeno to pinch run. C'mon, Lou, let the man hit. Pie singles to center. Cedeno had to hold up and couldn't take third. Two pitches, two hits. Daryle Ward will hit for Marquis and will not bunt. He takes ball one outside and two and three. Three balls. Ball four was called a strike by Ed Hickox. That looked low from my vantage point, a 1,000 miles away and watching on an old TV. Full count pitch is way outside and the bases are loaded. Fontenot fouls off the first pitch. Fouls off the second pitch. He bounces to second. Ward is forced at second, Fontenot beats the relay throw to first and Cedeno scores to tie it up. Pie at third, Fontenot at first and one out for Theriot. Theriot lines right at Helton, who steps on first for the double play.

Cubs 2, Rockies 2

Kevin Hart on to pitch for the Cubs. Henry Blanco will catch him and hit ninth. Cedeno will play second. Holliday hits it to the right-field gap and hustles into second with a double. Atkins grounds out to short; Holliday, running on the crack of the bat, gets to third. The Cubs will walk Hawpe and take their chances with Tulowitzki, who had been struggling but hit a three-run bomb last night. Tulowitzski hits a tailor-made DP ball to second. Theriot drops Cedeno's flip and everyone's safe. The go-ahead run scores. Runners on first and second for Iannetta. WGN's little graphic says runners on second and third. I had a minor profanity-laced panic attack there, wondering what just happened and what I missed. Iannetta fans. Ryan Spilborghs hits for Cook. Spillborghs rips one past Ramirez to score Hawpe. Podsednik grounds out to first to end this.

Old and new Rockies closer Brian Fuentes enters the fray. Lee sends it deep to right where Hawpe grabs it on the run and crashes into the wall. Looks like he twisted his ankle on the padding at the base of the wall. Walk it off. After some attention from the trainer, Hawpe's going to stay in the game. Ramirez strikes out and nails the catcher's arm with his backswing. The Cubs are going down in the ninth but taking out the Rockies in the process, one by one. Fukudome chases three pitches out of the zone and this one's over.

Final: Rockies 4, Cubs 2

That's loss No. 9,466 for the Cubs, a rather mundane get-away day affair in Denver. More importantly, this year they're 15-7 and on their way to the nation's capital. Thanks for reading everyone. See ya.